The Egg theatre in Bath marks its 20th anniversary with Tom Wentworth's adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic, The Secret Garden. This production, directed by Stephanie Kempson, emphasizes craft, creativity, and the natural world through Cat Rock's beautiful puppets, which include a plucky robin, a majestic owl, and a lovable fluffy lamb. The puppets are deliberately frayed, exposing original fabric as a celebration of creation.
Design and Atmosphere
Kat Heath's striking design and Ben Osborn's evocative music bring the Yorkshire Moors to life. Curtains of fabric and giant gloves with long spindly fingers, worn by actors and swaying wildly, depict Misselthwaite Manor's surroundings. This unusual work initially draws giggles from the young audience but gradually captivates the imagination.
Storytelling Challenges
The show falters in storytelling, lacking natural rhythm or focus. Wentworth's TV background leads to relentlessly short, choppy scenes. Kempson highlights these scene changes, with actors chatting as they move, making the narrative disjointed. Key moments in Mary and Colin's stories are lost amid the bustle.
Performances
Bilqees Khalid portrays Mary as sparky and charismatic, but the script softens her character excessively. Jack Hunter's bedbound cousin Colin is luminously innocent but lacks the darker edges of anger and vulnerability from the book. Smaller characters shine: Daneka Etchells' Martha is kind without being cloying, while Martin Bonger brings bite and depth to his roles. His doctor is proud and cruel, his uncle lost and heartbroken, and his Ben Weatherstaff fierce but kind. Bonger's scenes, especially the darkly brooding encounters between the Doctor and a sickly Colin, elevate the production from a lovely aesthetic experience to a boldly captivating story.
